Conall's Pack
by MauMeow1
Summary: What would happen if the wolves of Styginmoor were never evil at all? Bella's Gift, through Conall's eyes with the true pack of Styginmoor to complicate his choices. Follow Conall as he discovers what matters most and learns what it means to live up to the spirit of the wolf (New, updated prologue is up!.) (Rated T for no reason; a 9-10 year-old or something could read this.)
1. Prologue: The Smallest Pup

**Hello, and welcome to my first Bella Sara fanfiction (not to mention my first completed fanfic). Being crazy for both Bella Sara and wolves, an idea crossed my mind one day a while after finishing _Bella's Gift_ for the zillionth time: what if the wolves of Styginmoor were never evil at all. Here is what I got out of that idea. Oh, and please remember I'm not a Bella Sara genius and I have no idea whether or not most of the details I've improvised in here are accurate. I've also had to change a few things and dialogue to a) make it more refreshing than a rewrite of the book and b) make the wolves something other than evil villains.**

**Special Note: This prologue has been completely rewritten. I no longer have the original one and we can assume it has been deleted out of the universe. You and I will never see it again. Yay.**

**Disclaimer: I don't own Bella Sara *Sobs*. I don't care if you use any of the wolves I've created for the pack, and anyone is free to use them. I don't claim anything, not even the idea of having Myrfor be good, so you can use that as well. I won't kill you.**

_Prologue: The Smallest Pup_

Distant mountains continued to grasp at the blazing sun as it rose. Myrfor paced outside the den of his mate, Sundew. His huge shadow was cast against the half-dead grass that surrounded Stygimoor. Nothing, not even hope, seemed to be able to grow in this desolate place he had come to call home.

Myrfor's ears drooped as he thought about what would happen to any pups growing up her. _I knew I was doing the right thing...but who can tell what will become of wolves who could have been great when they grow up _here.

The friendship - partnership - between Myrfor and Ivenna was older than most of Myrfor's pack. He had been young and determined when he bonded himself to the sorceress. Power and supporters, all a young wolf could ever hope for in his future. Then there were the horses! They were faster than any prey, more magical than any wolf, and maybe even smarter than Ivenna. What had once been respect now burned as hatred in Myrfor's heart. They had to leave. No, they had to die.

"Myrfor?"

Storm, the young beta of Styginmoor's wolves, trotted toward his ruler. With a curt nod that Myrfor took as a bow, he delivered the news Myrfor had been waiting for all morning. "They're here," Storm barked, "Myrfor, you're a parent."

Myrfor's tail wagged slightly. "How many."

"Two she-wolves and one son."

Sundew called to them from inside the den she had dug. "Myrfor! Come and see!"

Beside his mate, Myrfor's three pups were curled helpless and motionless. One was a pale she-pup with a coat like her mother. The other female was dark gray with Myrfor's markings. Finally there was a he-wolf so dark he was almost black. Myrfor sniffed at his only son. The tiny creature seemed healthy, but he was small, small for even a newborn. "A runt," Myrfor murmured. He tried to keep the disappointment out of his voice. The pup was strong and resembled his father. There wasn't any reason not to be proud.

"Have you named them yet?" he asked Sundew.

Sundew shook her head. "I had a few in mind, but I figured you'd like to help."

Myrfor nodded. He licked at the first she-wolf. "Elan, I was thinking," Sundew said after a few moments of thought. The little wolf squirmed as if she could recognize her name even without her ears being open yet.

"And this one." Sundew nudged the darker she-pup gently. "I came up with Dusk for her, and for the male...well, I guess that's up to you. Nothing comes to mind."

Myrfor thought for a moment. "Conall," he said. A name for a warrior, the fighter this pup would be one day.

Sundew nodded. "That's a very nice name, Myrfor."

He stood motionless, watching his young offspring as they grew accustomed to this world. _A world of darkness and wolves of shadow. They will be fighters. One day. Heroes in Styginmoor, the castle where no heroes could rise._

**My apologies for the shortness! Please review!**


	2. Chapter 1: Conall

**I'M STILL ALIVE!**

**Sorry for the long absence, I have a few problems in real life I had to get to first. I'm still continuing my stories, though, so don't have a heart attack if you're someone who actually reads them (thank you if you are).**

**Disclaimer: I don't own Bella Sara...I don't own Conall...I do own Scarlet and the original characters but I don't care if you use them.**

_Chapter 1: Conall_

Conall yawned, stretching out his front legs. The year-old he-wolf's eyes blazed with eagerness to start a new day. Conall cocked his head as he thought about his dream earlier in the night. Something about it had shaken him up like a thunderstorm. Creatures..._horses_. The thought made him growl with uneasiness. Horses and their riders were the wolves enemies; Conall had been taught that since he had opened his eyes.

"Conall!"

Lystra, a dust-colored she-wolf, trotted up to him. Conall flopped over lazily. He didn't feel like starting the day yet. "Go bother another wolf," he mumbled to her through the dirt that found its way into his mouth.

"Conall, even the maid is up by now!" she scolded. "Scarlet needs help on guard duty."

He would have started a fight with Lystra on the spot if she had not mentioned the maid. Jillian. Conall knew something was special about that human. Ivenna and her were the only people had ever known, but Jillian was different somehow. She was _nice_ to him. Most of the animals Ivenna kept imprisoned as servants hated her wolves.

"Conall?"

He stretched one last time. "Yeah, sure I'll help her out."

Lystra's tail curled up coyly. "I knew you and her-"

Conall's hackles stood up straight. "What? Scarlet...me...I don't even _know _her that well!"

"Whatever you say, rose boy."

Conall groaned as he watched Lystra lope off. The she-wolf was nice enough, but she was also the biggest mouthed wolf in the pack. It even got her in trouble with Myrfor every once in a while. _Well_, he thought, _I guess Scarlet could use some help. If only Lystra hadn't singled _me _out._

He exited the shady spot Myrfor's pack always settled down to sleep in. Ivenna never invited the wolves to sleep inside her castle, and the pack never asked to be let in. Conall still wondered why his father insisted on being her wolf to ride. He winced as he remembered the hard snap Sundew had given him on the muzzle when he had asked her why.

_"Ivenna keeps us safe. She feeds us. She gives us a home where there would have been none. That is why we _always _help her. Myrfor did the right thing in making a partnership with her." _His mother had given him a warning look after speaking.

Conall felt the grass turn to cool stone under the black pads of his paws as he entered the castle. He, like most wolves, felt welcomed but not completely welcomed here. He belonged outside. He belonged to the wind.

"There you are!" yipped a russet wolf from a bend in the main hallway.

Conall smiled weakly. Luckily, Scarlet's tone wasn't taunting. He knew Lystra's rumors couldn't spread _that_ fast. "Miss me?"

Scarlet's tail wagged a few times before she resumed her guarding stance: ears high, eyes withering, and a still tail raised in a warning posture. Conall bounded quickly to the other side of the door and stood just like her. He decided he liked Scarlet's playful side better. She didn't bite the tails off of those she found annoying when she was in her opposite mood.

After a few minutes, a tall and dark figure made its way towards the two wolves. Conall's father, Myrfor, was beside Ivenna. Both of them looked quite pleased, and Conall knew they had been talking about the only plans the wolf and the human could agree on. Plans for power for Ivenna and her pack.

His heart pounded against his paler chest nervously. Conall clenched his jaws to keep from panting nervously. Displeasing Ivenna was one thing, but the wrath of both leaders would be unimaginable.

Ivenna and her ally strode past the two guards without paying any attention. Conall heard their voices fading as they spoke further down the hallway to the servant, Jillian. She hadn't seen her for weeks now. The other wolves didn't pay any attention to her, but Conall missed the girl. He wished Ivenna would give him a job that would let him get closer to her...not that he couldn't live without her. Resentment welled inside of him as he remembered how his parents had exploded when he followed her into the castle as a pup.

More footsteps. Conall's ear swiveled towards the sound of the girl's voice. Scarlet glared at him. "Are you guarding this hallway or what?"

"Sorry," he mumbled, straining his ears to hear more of the conversation.

"..._drawn _to you already."

Ivenna and Myrfor appeared again. Ivenna smiled as she spotted the guards and glanced at Myrfor as they passed.

Myrfor stepped closer to Conall. Conall was almost as tall as his father now. "Conall," Myrfor growled softly, "Keep an eye on the girl and that...newcomer, for me. Now."

"Yes, Myrfor," he said, his ears flattening respectively. "They're in a room, right?"

He continued along the freezing stone floor without even waiting for a reply. It was as cold as his mistresses voice, he realized with a chill. It took Conall a short amount of time to reach the room he was certain Jillian had gone into. Her scent was fresh - along with another smell Conall didn't recognize. He started to push the door with his paw, but the words that made their way to his ears intrigued him.

"She already has plenty of servants. Why would she want more?"

Conall relaxed at the sweet sound of Jillian's voice. He waited for a reply. None came. Puzzled, he pressed his ear closer, but it seemed as if Jillian were talking to herself the way he heard it.

"Bella," she said after a minute.

More silence followed. His paws tingled. He had to find out who...what she was talking to. Conall brushed his paw against the door with a rustling sound, opening it a crack. Jillian's and a rosy creature's wide eyes greeted him.

An otter.

Conall felt both relieved and disappointed. He had been looking forward to something more exciting, but at least Ivenna hadn't asked Jillian to feed a darkcomb lion.

Jillian stared at him in horror for a beat of his heart. Then her freckled face broke into a welcoming smile. "Conall! You scared me half to death!" she exclaimed.

The relief in her voice didn't turn Conall's mood around. He snorted. How had humans come so far without even being able to tell wolves apart? Hadn't she known him long enough? Even though Conall wished he could ask her about the pink otter, he had never been able to learn the tongue the wolves used to communicate with Ivenna and Myrfor. Though he'd done his best to try learning, his words only came out as yips or barks or growls. Some of the pack used to tease Conall for it, but now they just knew it as part of what made Conall _Conall_. The runt. The wolf who looked so similar to his father, the alpha male, but would never be as great as him. It made Conall frustrated and ashamed at times.

Conall turned to the otter. She flinched as if she expected him to attack.

"Don't worry," Jillian said reassuringly, "This is Conall. He's not like the other wolves."

Conall growled at the remark. He hated the way even Jillian let his friendship with her get in the way of how the pack saw him at times.

"Well, _you're not_," she snapped back. "Even if you're looking more and more like Myrfor every day. No one could call you the runt of the litter anymore, huh, Fuzzy Foot."

Conall held back another growl. He'd pretty much gotten used to Jillian calling him that, as long as Lystra didn't find out about the nickname. He knew Jillian even better than he knew Ivenna and Myrfor. She was like the only sibling of his who wasn't a wolf. To Conall, it was the best thing any canine could get in Styginmoor. Or maybe the world.

Jillian stroked his soft ears. They shot up as she touched them. Jillian gazed into his golden eyes, looking a little startled at how defensive he had become. Conall bit back a whimper. He wished he had seen Jillian all those days he had spent trying to get the other wolves in the pack to respect him. Maybe she wouldn't be so far from him now. Now it seemed his first friend was becoming a kind memory rather than flesh.

The girl turned back to the otter. Conall noticed a glittering stone hanging around the animal's neck that he hadn't seen before. Jillian told the otter they had to leave before turning back to Conall. His tail thumped impatiently as he waited for her. "Alright, Fuzzy Foot, Let's go."

Jillian rose and started to head for the dining room of the castle. Conall stole one last glance at the otter. The creature looked both delicate and brave. Glass formed by fire that could kill. Blinking, he spun around and loped quickly after his friend.

Myrfor nodded approvingly at Conall when he saw his son had done hid duty. Ivenna followed her wolf's gaze. _Her _wolf, Conall thought bitterly, as if Myrfor belonged to anyone. "Good work, Conall. You are dismissed," Ivenna said to him, her eyes telling Conall he was out of the conversation.

Conall turned and trotted away. As much as he wanted to turn around and stare at Jillian again, he didn't look back.

...

"You're going to have to choose, you know."

Conall heard a snarl as he exited the castle. Scarlet had been waiting for him outside. His hackles bristled furiously. "As if you know what went on in there. He-"

"I'm talking about the _girl_. You can't keep following her like a dog your whole life," Scarlet snapped.

"The whole pack follows Ivenna like zombies." Conall's eyes flashed as Scarlet slowly started to walk.

Scarlet glared at him. Her eyes met his, both blazing with anger. "That's different. She keeps us safe, she knows Myrfor, she helps the pack..."

"I don't care!" Conall's voice started to rise. "I'll make my choice when _I_ want to. Stay out of MY personal business!"

"One day..." The red wolf muttered as she stalked off. Conall continued to glare at her back, waiting for her to turn around so her could shout at her again. His blood boiled. So _what _if he was friends with Jillian? It wasn't like she was going to kill Ivenna! All his life he'd trained to be the strongest. He'd hunted at the front of the pack, just like Myrfor. He'd defeated his siblings in tug-of-war fights as they matured. He'd even beaten Storm, the beta, once in a fight.

But would that matter to Jillian?

_Of course not_, he thought.

_You'll have to make a choice..._


	3. Chapter 2: Kin over Friendship

**Big thank you to everyone who reviewed! Hopefully there will be more Bella Sara fanfics in the future. Please enjoy or tell me why you didn't.**

**Disclaimer: I DON'T OWN THIS. PERIOD. ANY OF IT. IT'S OVER. GO READ. NOW.**

_Chapter 2: Kin over Friendship_

Conall's chest heaved in and out with fury as he stomped toward his sleeping area. Scarlet's angry glare seemed to continue burning into his dark pelt despite the fact she had long since left. Conall felt unnerved by her words. _You have to make a choice_. What if being in the middle _was _his choice? Conall had done his best to please his father and his favorite human. He liked the way it was. There wasn't any need to change.

_Scarlet_, Conall thought. Scarlet was a good friend to Conall. She'd warmed up to him quickly once he'd caught up to the rest of the young wolves in size and strength. She was loyal, truthful, and strong; it seemed like everything a wolf would need out of a friendship. But Scarlet also obsessed over doing everything right and winning the favors of Ivenna and Myrfor. She did everything without question, throwing a fit when Conall or another wolf disobeyed. Despite her wonderful qualities, Conall never liked spending too much time with the she-wolf.

Conall had just reached the wolf dens when he heard a shout.

"Conall!"

He whipped his whipped his head around quickly. Swan and Talc, two mates who were part of Styginmoor's pack as well, trotted up with an extra bounce to their step. Conall cocked his head. "What is it?"

Swan's tail wagged. He was a handsome white wolf with green eyes and scars covering his muzzle from a fight that broke out between him and Storm over a deer carcass. "Conall," he barked excitedly, "Haven't you heard what everyone else has been saying about you?"

Conall felt himself becoming hotter and hotter until he thought he was burning. "W-what? Swan! Talc! Me and Scarlet...there wasn't...she-"

Talc cocked her misty gray head. "What are you talking about? The whole pack is starting to say you'll be Myrfor's next successor!"

"What?!" Conall's ears shot up in surprise.

Swan nodded his head rapidly. "It's true! Lystra even said that Sundew said that Myrfor said he was going to make you a beta _himself_."

"That's crazy!" Conall exclaimed._ Crazy_, he thought, _but definitely possible..._

"Conall, have you even seen yourself lately?" Talc asked. "You're the strongest wolf in the whole pack, besides Myrfor, of course. It's _certain _you're going to be the next leader. You even look like him!"

Conall's mouth hung open in shock. Talc was right. He felt excited and maybe even happy, but also as if a new mile had been added between him and Jillian. He'd spent his entire life so far trying to juggle the two things that mattered most: His friend, Jillian, and his duties to Myrfor, Ivenna, and Styginmoor. He had to be the fastest, the strongest, the smartest, and the kindest at times - at least when he was with Jillian. Now, if Conall's attention had to be focused on his kin...

Flicking his gaze towards the setting sun, Swan turned to Conall again. "You'd better get some sleep now. I heard Myrfor's going to lead the pack on a hunt tomorrow. This is the first one in weeks, huh, Talc?"

"Why, it is!" Talc yipped in disbelief. Conall himself was surprised by this. It had been so long since the alphas had called the pack together to kill their own food. Conall had never felt the urge to. He guessed Ivenna would have gladly helped their alliance grow by feeding her pack.

Conall yawned. "Yeah...yeah, I'll hit the shade now. See you in the morning."

He trotted away from the two hyped up mates. In truth, Conall was wide awake from his fight with Scarlet. He didn't need sleep at all; he needed to run. He needed to speak. And most of all, he needed to think about what he was going to do about his predicament. _Beta...successor...what could all this mean? Is my bond with Jillian doomed?_

With troubled thoughts, Conall closed his eyes and hoped for dreamless sleep.

...

Conall awakened to sunlight streaming into his ditch-like den. It was odd for so much light to shine on Styginmoor at this time of year - or any time, at that. The warmth welcomed him to the new day, convincing him to get up at last. Blinking away the remnants of sleep, Conall walked onto the grounds outside the castle where the pack met if they were not busy guarding Styginmoor itself or hunting and playing on their own. A few wolves moved about, talking, squabbling, or fooling around. Myrfor was already in the castle. Probably speaking with Ivenna, Conall assumed.

A group of pups tumbled out of their dens for a chance to play in the sunshine. Their mothers, Sundew and Grass, sat a few feet away with watchful eyes. Their antics reminded Conall of when he was a young puppy. It made him miss all the laughing, chasing, and roughhousing alongside his siblings when they were barely months old.

While the pups played gently for most of the time, two he-pups started a squabble over an old bone from the pack's last kill. It started out as a small fight, but soon one of the pups was crying pitifully as the larger one chased after it relentlessly. Conall started forward to break up the fight with Sundew and Grass before it became too serious. The mother she-wolves reached the young wolves before he did, tugging them apart before any damage could be done. Conall had started to head for the shade he had been resting in before, when a flash of white caught his eye.

Conall turned toward it. His heart skipped wildly when he saw who it was. It was Jillian drying out the laundry she'd finished washing! Her eyes met his, and he knew she was going to say something. "Psst, Fuzzy Foot.! Over here," she called softly from behind the sheet.

Conall's ears shot up at the sound of her voice. He looked around for Scarlet, certain she would be watching him with her eyes narrowed. To Conall's relief, no one was looking at them. He stared at Jillian again. Then, he cautiously slipped toward her.

"Sorry to interrupt your game," she said to him. "But I need your help. I've got to see the otter again. It's the only way to help the magical creatures. That means I have to get the key from Myrfor. I was thinking, since you're a wolf, it would be easier for you to..."

Conall's stare changed. His muscles tensed, stopping the girl before she finished. _She wants me to steal it_, he realized, _She wants me to betray my father. _His tail curled underneath his belly. How could he do that? How could he give up on the friends and family, the ones who had been with him since he opened his eyes? _Well_, thought another side of him, _Jillian is your friend, too._

"I know it's not easy for you, Fuzzy Foot." Jillian's eyes pleaded with him until he was forced to look away. "I know you're one of them, but you're different,too."

Conall felt himself being split in two. His heart telling him to help Jillian at all costs, his spirit telling him to run free with his own pack. It was cracking, shattering. Like half-frozen ice that was trod upon by a pup.

Several sharp barks from behind him made his head shot up. He turned away from Jillian to see who it was, but there wasn't much uncertainty about that. It was Myrfor calling the pack together for a hunt in the forest. Conall thought about what Swan and Talc had said. He _wanted_ to make his parents and pack proud, to earn the titles of heir and beta to the leaders. He knew he would have to prove he was worthy of this to his mother and father. He would have to run with the pack once again on the trail of prey.

With one last, regretful stare at Jillian, Conall turned and ran towards his father. Once again, he didn't look back.

...

"Glad to see you," Sundew said to her son as Conall bounded up to the rest of the hunters. Myrfor nodded with a look of gladness, which was enough for Conall.

A she-wolf bumped him. "Hey," she said. Conall looked at the source of the familiar voice, fearing the rose-red Scarlet looking for revenge. _Lystra_. The two sisters looked so alike. It was getting harder and harder to tell which one was which without looking at their pelts. Lystra's was light and airy, while Scarlet's was as fiery as the sun. Conall faked a grin. "I hope we get some big game today, Lystra. You too?"

Lystra nodded blandly. "I heard about your fight with Scarlet last night."

Conall felt like curling up in a ball. Now that Lystra knew it...

"Everyone says you started a big argument over some prey. It wasn't that stupid, right?"

Conall shrugged. "We were tired. And hungry. We'll make up soon," he lied.

Seven more wolves arrived shortly after Lystra and Conall started talking. Swan, Talc, Neith, Andromeda, and Storm were among them. Conall avoided eye contact with Storm, the current beta. The thought of challenging such a powerful wolf made him even more nervous on top of the hunt. Luckily, Storm didn't seem to pay any attention to him.

"Styginmoor's wolves," Myrfor said calmly, getting ready to howl. "It is pleasing to see how many have come to help. Today, we will hunt."

Conall raised his voice and joined the others as their haunting howls rose over the treetops, spiraling into the sunny sky.


	4. Chapter 3: Choices

**More story. Yay. *Yawn* to lazy to write an author's note for this chapter. **

**Disclaimer: I don't own Bella Sara. I made all the OCs from Syginmoor's pack blah, blah. Use them if you want, I'm fine with it.**

_Chapter 3: Choices_

Myrfor, Sundew, and Conall were the first wolves to spot the rabbit. It was small and un-magical, something Conall thought he would be comfortable eating. Myrfor growled as the pack started towards the measly creature. "That's it?" the great wolf asked his mate, "We came all this was for something as useless as _that_."

"It's not useless," Sundew snapped softly. She glanced over her shoulder at Conall. "A rabbit can feed all of our new pups. That doesn't seem useless to me."

"Please, can we move on to the killing?" Storm paced behind Conall. His presence made Conall feel unwelcome and uncomfortable now that the rumor of his soon-to-be place in the pack had gotten out. Still, the large wolf didn't seem angry at anyone in particular, just frustrated.

Myrfor glared at Storm, making his ears flatten against his skull. "Wait," the alpha male commanded. He watched the rabbit take one hop...two hops...another...

"Now!"

The pack rushed forward. Conall watched as the once orderly group of wolves descended into chaos. Healia and Myrfor, the two fastest wolves, easily outran Conall within less than a minute. Determined to prove his strength to his leader, Conall put on a burst of speed and was soon nose to nose with Healia. The she-wolf glanced at him and swerved to the right for a better view.

Lystra and Swan curved around the left flank of the pack. Hunting was Lystra's strong suit, but she tripped on a root growing skyward from the ground and was left behind by the desperate wolves. Swan loped inward with such speed a few wolves were startled by his move.

Myrfor bellowed out a bark that was drawn out like a howl as they began to fall farther behind their prey. Conall leaped forward, every inch of his body, one built for the hunt, pressed forward in one great bound.

It wasn't enough.

With an inhuman scream, the rabbit dove into its burrow. Sundew and Myrfor snarled in rage, but the rabbit was safer from their teeth than the stones that lay about the forest floor. Conall crashed against a thick-trunked tree. His tongue hung out as he panted. Conall's eyes scanned the faces of the disappointed. Despair, anger, and determination varied in amount from wolf to wolf. Conall did his best to radiate confidence. "We'll catch another," he barked, "We'll kill even more."

"No, Conall." Sundew flopped against the rocky ground. "We will try again tomorrow. Today, we must let this hunt be the pack's exercise and no more. It's all we really need."

Myrfor licked his lips. "The maid will be coming with dinner for Ivenna and me soon. I'll bring some back for the pups, Sundew. Today's our favorite: the turtle soup."

...

Conall had just started to relax in the dark silhouette of another tree when he heard the howl. The pack had returned from the hunt, resting near Styginmoor Castle and nursing their complaints. Then, it came. The howl came straight from a wolf guard's throat. Another joined it. Frenzied by something, the whole castle was raising the alarm.

Talc ran toward Conall in confusion. "What's going on?"

"I don't know!"

They watched as the white form of Swan bolted toward them from the dingy palace. "It's Myrfor!" he gasped, "I don't know what's wrong - he and Ivenna just collapsed!"

Conall felt panic rising in his throat. It wasn't because of Myrfor, though. _What if Jillian's gone and done something reckless? _His stomach started to churn as a question formed in his head. _Should I have helped her? _He stared at Swan and Talc. The two wolves were frozen in fear from the alarm. "Come on," said Conall, rushing past them. "We have to see what's wrong."

The world inside Styginmoor was even more chaotic. Wolf guards and pack-mates rushed around the rooms, searching for their leaders. No one was in the dining room yet. If only Conall could get there...Conall touched Talc and Swan with his tail, making sure they were still there. He wrestled past a crowd of guards who were running outside to tell the rest of the pack. "Go ahead of us!" Swan shouted to him. "You have to figure out what happened to them!"

_If it's even true_, Conall thought, but he knew with a dreaded certainty what he would find.

Sure enough, Ivenna was slumped down in her chair. Her head was inches away from a nearly empty soup bowl. _The turtle soup_. Conall's gaze wandered to Myrfor. The huge wolf was passed out beside her, just like his mistress.

Conall pressed his nose to hard floor. Jillian's scent filled his dark nose as he moved farther and farther from the dining room. Soon Jillian's trail led him to the dark, underground area the starstone otter was kept in. Conall slammed himself onto the unlocked door, throwing it open. Jillian looked at him with surprise on her face.

"Conall!" she shouted as she saw him, "How did you know where to find me?"

Conall ignored her question. He glanced around again. There must be some way he could stop this. There had to be a way to make Myrfor and Ivenna forgive his friend when they awakened. He tensed. The sight that had met his eyes in the dining room table flashed through his head. _The bowls! _He looked at the girl again in horror. _Jillian, what have you done?_

"What is it?" Jillian said as she noticed his alert posture. "What's wrong."

Conall remembered how clearly he had channeled his own thoughts to hers. His eyes settled on the bright, star-shaped stone that hung around her neck. It was the same object he had seen on the otter when Myrfor sent him to spy on Jillian. Hoping his message would get through, he thought, _Some wolf guards found Myrfor asleep and were unable to rouse him. They didn't know what was happening, but they are now in a frenzy. You have put yourself and others in danger._

Jillian seemed to understand, which calmed Conall a bit. "It was the only way!" she cried. "I have to free the otter and the otter and the other magical creatures. You know Ivenna is holding them here against their will. Even worse than that, I think she's trying to steal their magic for her own evil purposes. She _must _be stopped. Conall, please, you _know _what I'm saying is true. Do what's right."

But what _was _right? Following your true call or following your heart. Conall stood as still as a dead wolf, his eyes fixed on the hallway where the howls of even more wolves were getting louder. The rest of the wolves had reached the dining room, and they would be coming for Jillian as soon as they, too, caught her scent. His eyes met Jillian's.

"We have no time," Jillian said. She sounded brave, like a wolf going into battle, not a young girl who'd never fought in her life. "We must get to the horse Bella at Trails End. She is the leader of the great herd. _She _will know what to do, but _you _must do it, Conall. You're a wolf. You can slip away without being noticed. I'll never make it out of here."

Rapid thoughts flashed through Conall's head. He'd been loyal to Jillian his whole life. Now he was about to pay the ultimate price for his friend. _Betray your kind. Help her_. He couldn't do it. Fear, anger, and confusion made him feel like he wanted to burst. Conall's tail curled under him again, and his reply came._ You ask too much from me. Trails End is the heart of the enemy's empire. No wolf could possibly enter such a place._

"Conall, you're not like the others. If you won't listen to me, listen to your heart."

Conall's adrenaline soaked heart told him nothing. He was alone, and he was scared of what would happen to him and his friend, no matter what they did. 'Don't be afraid to run,' Sundew had once told him, 'But nothing will come unless you stand and fight on the day you must.'

A scream ricocheted off the walls of the hallway. Ivenna. "Get the girl!" the sorceress shrieked.

"Please, Fuzzy Foot...Please!"Jillian begged. She gazed into Conall's golden eyes. "There's no other way."

This was the time for Conall to stand up for what _he_ thought was best for Jillian and maybe, in the end, the best for his own pack. Today would be the last day Conall would run from anyone, even if it meant splitting his own spirit to shards of memory. Jillian was scared, like he was. But she was brave, she was loyal, and she was going to be true to her heart just like Conall would. This was what Conall needed. This was what his pack would need, not Ivenna.

Conall growled in frustration as older feelings bubbled up. _Give me the starstone_, he thought, before he could change his mind.

Jillian placed it around his neck. The stone radiated power and the energy of morning and light. Just feeling it slipped across his sooty fur made Conall feel even more sure he was going to do it. There was no time to worry about tricks. No time to say good-bye, Conall realized with great sadness.

Conall streaked through the castle. The starstone around his neck had improved his senses. They were already better than a normal humans, but now they were exceptional even for a wolf. The starstone also seemed to have another, less pleasant power: it could see straight through the souls of others.

Each wolf was like a bright spark to Conall. He didn't see just their faces. He saw what made each one unique, the weaknesses of every wolf, and the darkness shrouding their future, their past, and their present selves. If Conall's heart truly felt anything, it was aching like crazy now. He watched Myrfor leap by. The wolf had good intentions, but he was leading his pack to darkness and death. His spirit was stained dark like blood.

Running from his own pack, Conall realized with sorrow that he would never lead them. He had betrayed his father, his mother, his friends. No, he was true to Jillian. Jillian was his _best_ friend. Maybe what he was doing wasn't the best path, but it was the right thing. _Forget them. Follow your heart. _The starstone seemed to make his thoughts stronger, closer to reality.

_I can't lead them_, Conall told himself sadly, _I can't undo this. All I have to do is help Jillian..._

The freezing night air struck his face as he exited the castle. As he entered the forest, a feeling of impending doom cascaded over him. To reach Trails End, he would have to travel a terrible way he had only heard of from Sundew's tales to the pups. He would have to journey a way that could get him destroyed.

The Shadow Path.


	5. Chapter 4: Path of Darkness

**Disclaimer: I don't own BS. That's Bella Sara, not another phrase B and S can stand for. :P**

_Chapter 4: Path of Darkness_

Conall's pulse quickened as he shuffled through his earliest memories. Sundew had only told them the tale of the Shadow Path once, fearing it would give her pups nightmares. Recounting the story made Conall shiver. Back then, he had only dreamed of the shadowy trail. Now he was walking straight toward it.

_'The Shadow Path was created by the wolves Skoll and Hati, powerful creatures second only to Fenrir, your grandfather, in strength. They did not make it for themselves, for they had other duties as the time of Ragnarök approaches. They created it for other wolves. It is a path of dark and ancient magic. Only the bravest and truest wolves can pass through it alive. Those who are not prepared may die, go insane, or be lost in the realm of shadows forever.'_

The cold wind shook Conall's legs along with the haunting legend. He now knew who Skoll and Hati really were: the two wolves once destined to destroy the sun and moon. How would he ever pass through a trail of magic only a canine as great as them together could last? He remembered the warning. He could lose his life, his sanity, or himself on the pathway. _For Bella_, he reminded himself sharply, _for Jillian. _They were all that mattered now. They were his last packmates. Conall's pack.

Sundew had taken a deep breath before she explained to them how the Shadow Path was found by a wolf. _'The Shadow Path will never appear to those who summon it, Elan. It must be found by those in need. No wolf can seek it out and be successful...they must wait for the trail to find _them_.'_

_Please, path of the true wolves_, Conall thought, _Lead me to Trails End. Please._

There was no reply, but Conall knew what he had to do. Taking in a deep breath - it may have been the last one he would ever take - he shut his eyes as tight as he could and loped forward faster than he ever ran before.

Raw energy pulsed around him like currents of air as he plunged out of existence. A burning sensation filled his chest, his head, his feet. Vibrations hummed around him, rattling his confidence. Then, like the eye of the storm, all fell silent. Conall pressed his eyelids together as hard as he could. There was no stone or soldiness beneath his feet. Conall had entered a world of shadows.

Scents and sounds seeped in from the outside world, darting away as Conall's senses focused on them. His paws continued to fly, pushing him towards the end. The wind inside the tunnel grew louder and louder. Strangely, Conall felt no resistance from it.

Ever so slowly, however, the sound became endless whispers. Voices swirled around him. They didn't sound angry, just sad. _Help us_, they begged, _Help us Conall. So cold...lost...lost...so cold...help us, Conall. Warm us. Lost...hungry...guide us, Conall. _No...Conall's ears flattened. He couldn't give in. Sharp, branch-like objects seemed to claw at him, trying in vain to drag him back. Keep running, he told himself, it will be over soon...

The voices rose. They warped into sounds Conall recognized: pleas from Scarlet, Sundew, Elan, Myrfor, and Styginmoor. _Traitor...lost...help us...help us, Conall. Feed us, Conall...cold...hungry._

Conall couldn't take it. He tried to put on a burst of speed, but his body simply would not obey. He was tired, hungry, and drained of almost all energy and life. _End this_, he thought, _please!_

His mind wandered to his past. Faces. Jillian, Myrfor, Ivenna, the Otter Queen...

Silence.

Conall felt solid ground start to materialize beneath the pads of his feet. He kept his eyes closed. It had to be a trick; the Shadow Path trying to lure him into its eternal darkness. _Safety_, Conall's thoughts told him. The starstone thumped against his chest. His tail swished uncertainly. Certain he was at last delivered from the trail, Conall opened his eyes.

...

Conall didn't realize how much he had missed the sunshine until he stood in its golden rays again. He blinked. The world around him had changed. Conall was standing atop a ledge, perched just above a large, flat space of land that was half fields of crops and half forest. Small houses...cottages, he remembered, had been built just behind the deciduous forest that surrounded him.

Emerald grass twirled around his white paws. He watched butterflies dance through the air, as graceful as the hunting wolves. The thought made Conall's heart sink. He started to change his mind about leaving his canine friends behind.

_Bella_. Conall took in a deep breath. He had to find the mare. Jillian was depending on him too. Still, it felt strange to have arrived in such a vibrant land. This was where a wolf belonged. He wished he could roll around in the grass, running under the shade of the forest canopy forever. Telling himself once again about his mission, Conall started to lope in the direction of the cottages.

He cautiously stepped into the very heart of the village. It didn't take long for the people to spot him. "A wolf!" He heard a man shout. "Wolves are attacking!"

Screams and murmurs passed through the crowd. Children were rushed indoors, horses whinnied, and people slammed the doors to their houses, locking them tight. The last humans left turned to Conall with courageous looks on their faces, ready for a fight. The reaction made Conall feel shut-out and unwelcome. All his instincts told him to leave.

Then he remembered the starstone around his neck. _I seek the great horse, Bella. _He did his best to direct his thoughts at the hostile villagers.

More whispers traveled through the surrounding humans. "Bella?" "Bella! Why would he need her?" "How can we trust him?"

An aging woman turned to the people facing Conall. "We can't take him to Bella!" she said. "We don't know if he can be trusted, even if he does have the starstone. He may have taken it by force." Her words made Conall feel even more uncomfortable.

"He could be sent by a person!" a man argued, "What if they need help?"

An older girl joined the growing quarrel over whether or not they should let Conall meet Bella. More people started to take sides. Some back up Conall, and some were against him. Conall started to feel more and more angry. People were so foolish! If only he knew were Bella was already.

Then the group quickly became silent. A misty hush hung over the crowd. Conall turned his head to see what everyone wae craning their necks to get a look at. His heart beat faster when he saw who it was.

A pure white mare literally glowed as she stared at Conall. Light shimmered off her coat in waves. Her eyes were dark as sodden earth with golden flecks like stars. Conall saw his own awed expression reflected in them. Their energy warm but strong. Using the power of the starstone he possessed, Bella - it had to be her- spoke directly to Conall. _I am Bella. What is your name, wolf?_

Conall's lifted his tail out from submissive posture, hiding his awed expression. _I am Conall_, he replied, _son of Myrfor, scion of the wolf Fenrir. _

Conall had appreciated his fine lineage when he was in the wolf pack. It made him stronger and proud. But now, staring into the deep gaze of Bella, it brought only frustration and a bit of shame to his feelings. He was a wolf. He didn't belong. Now the tables had turned, and Conall was no longer fit to act proud of his family.

_You are bred of wicked stock, son of chaos and destruction. Why do you appear before me? _Bella's eyes were not scornful, despite her harsh words. They were mostly unreadable, but Conall, a wolf and expert at reading them, seemed to detect a hint of pity.

Wolf. Enemy. Conall could feel the resentment toward him suffocating him slowly. He was stuck on a mission that seemed impossible to complete. How could he help if no one was going to trust him? With a spark of sudden hope, Conall remembered Jillian's voice. _He's not like the other wolves._

He felt Bella's mind connect with his. She stood motionless, sharing the memory. Finally, Bella seemed to understand what he was here for. She nodded to Conall. _You may yet prove a better wolf than your __ancestors. I will help you, but we must hurry. Quickly, follow me._

She spun around and began to gallop away. Conall raced after her, determined not to lose sight of her glittering aura. He soon was just behind her, his long, graceful stride matching hers. With a sudden start, he realized Bella's magic was allowing them to lift slightly off the ground. Bella looked at him again. Then she veered a few more feet off the ground. Conall ran behind her, flying through the sky. He felt a breeze blow through his fur as he climbed the clouds toward the sun.

He glanced at Bella once they ceased to climb higher.

She gave him an assuring look._ Don't be afraid. You are with me. Soon the others will come._

_The others? _Conall gave her a questioning look.

_Yes. We will need help if we are to save your friend Jillian and the great Starstone Otter Queen. The other magical creatures, as well. _Bella seemed confident, so Conall did as well.

A bright white light slashed through the peaceful sky. Conall yelped, almost falling from the trail of wind he and Bella rode. The crash of thunder followed the lightning. Conall watched as a huge, black stallion hands larger than Bella appeared before his eyes. The stallion quickly caught up with Bella and Conall. Electricity seemed to flash in his eyes as he spotted Conall.

_What is this _wolf _doing here? _he snorted to Bella.

Bella glanced at the stallion, calm as ever. _He is our ally. I will explain soon, Thunder. There is little time now._

Bella and Thunder quickened. Conall was almost left behind, but he stayed determined to keep up with the pair of powerful horses. He pushed himself, almost draining his energy as he did.

A beautiful, winged mare appeared in the distance. She flew closer, her aurora-like wings carving the winds. Her dusty brown coat was draped in pale ribbons that swirled in the breeze as she flew. Conall was working hard just to stay beside the horses, but he took time to admire the magnificent horse. However, as they approached Ivenna's castle, Conall was reminded again and again of the horrible things that awaited him with the pack that he had betrayed.

_Nike_. Bella greeted the new horse, stating her name to Conall.

Two more creatures just as breathtaking joined Bella, Thunder, Nike, and Conall as they flew. A filly the color of fire who painfully caused Conall to think of Scarlet appeared. Bella introduced her as Fiona and continued to the next mare, Jewel. The bay horse's forehead glittered with gemstones in the light. Her aura was not as powerful as Bella's, but she gave off strength and beauty as she ran.

Conall shivered as a dark stain on the horizon appeared. He squinted, recoiling in surprise as he realized what it was.

Styginmoor drew nearer with every step.


	6. Chapter 5: Battles and Betrayal

**Hey, y'all! XD**

**Disclaimer: I don't own Bella Sara. Use any of the characters I created if you want, though, I don't really care. I also don't own Skoll or Hati from the previous chapter. The Norse guys who made up that legend do.**

_Chapter Five: Battles and Betrayal _

Conall felt a chill run down his back as he and the horses started to descend. He watched the clouds that surrounded the castle of Styginmoor grow thicker and thicker as they flew through them. How did I never notice these before? he wondered. The sunlight from the morning was starting to fade, but it was not completely dark. A few wolves lingered outside. Conall winced as he thought of how many full-grown, experienced wolves were in his former pack. Bella and her allies were severely outnumbered.

The white mare turned to him when they landed. _Once we enter the castle, I want you to find Jillian and the Starstone Otter Queen. It's up to you to see that they are safe. Stop at nothing._

It took Conall only a second to reply. He nodded, running through the instructions again and again. _I won't fail_, he told himself, almost oblivious to the fact Bella's mind was connected to his.

_Thunder, go now!_ their majestic leader commanded.

The huge stallion beside Conall pawed the ground once. A few sparks flew out from beneath them at first. Then he reared up, striking the gates to Styginmoor. Arcs of electric light - bolts of electricity like sheet-lightning - burst from his hooves.

Thunder raced through the kindling that had once been a mighty barrier between them. As Conall and the others started to follow, a great howl rose from the castle. Echoes of the sound flew off the castle walls. Myrfor. It was not the mournful howl that rose into the sky before a hunt. Instead, it was raw and powerful, a call summoning the wolves to defend their home. Conall felt himself tremble, but he sensed no fear from his companions.

Nike raced high up into the dark sky. He watched as she flew over the castle, peering into the labyrinth of its halls in search of the magical creatures Ivenna kept as prisoners. His heart raced as she dove closer. Had she found one of them?

With a loud yelp, Conall spotted Myrfor glaring furiously at them from the courtyard's entrance. His father loomed over them even at a distance. The swarm of wolves Conall had once stood by fanned out behind him. Conall had never seen the pack preparing for battle before. Now he knew how terrible it would be when he had to face his kin.

Their alpha flung his head to the sky and howled again. It was no longer a challenge. It was a command. Sundew, Storm, Swan, and the rest of the high-ranking wolves rose from the mass of creatures. Conall knew it was time for him to leave the battle to the horses. He raced into the shadows, bolting for the castle.

Styginmoor's wolves charged.

In the chaotic mess of the battle, Conall did his best to slip away. He curved around a cluster of wolves. They scattered as Nike flew over head, throwing her attackers aside with kicks that rarely connected. He felt guilt starting to weigh him down. These were his friends...or at least the used to be. How many years of loyalty was he about to sacrifice for Jillian and _her _friends.

_Keep going_, he reminded himself, _just like you did on the Shadow Path._

The battle was starting to become serious. As Nike, Thunder, and Bella distracted most of the pack, Jewel galloped past Conall and into the shadowy rooms of the castle. Conall watched enviously as he fought past the fighting crowd.

Nike continued to frustrate a large fraction of the wolves. The moment one came close enough to grab at her flank in a hunting maneuver, she slipped past them with ease. Finally, one managed to spring past the others. It was Talc. Conall watched in horror as she sank her teeth into the winged horse's chestnut coat. Nike shot skyward with a scream of pain. Talc lost her grip immediately and fell back.

The wolves continued to stream from the castle entrance. At over thirty adult wolves strong, they seemed unstoppable. Sundew and Myrfor had divided the battle into two halves. Each alpha barked commands to the writhing wolves within their area of control. Every move was quick and planned, making Conall cringe with fear as they came closer.

Energy shot through Conall when he noticed Bella was nowhere to be seen. Thunder and the white horse had disappeared from Conall's sight after they entered the courtyard. He whipped around at the sound of snorts and whinnies. _Thunder and Fiona._

Fiona raced away from her dark friend, Thunder. Her red coat and mane seemed to radiated heat as she started to circle the edges of Myrfor and Sundew's army-like groups. Smoke curled from where her hooves slammed against the dry earth. She ran faster and faster. To Conall's amazement, a fire started to grow behind her. Wolves scrambled away in panic. He looked on as they stumbled towards the center.

There, in the very heart of the fighting legions, was the great horse Bella.

The fire started to die. Wolves regained their senses, and snarls and growls rose in their throats. Bella stood calmly among the reforming army. A serene and untouched eye of the storm.

Conall froze as she started to walk through the battle with an eerie aura of peace. Wolves began to surround her. They became braver, darting only a few feet away from her brilliant coat.

Once they had reached a point only a few inches away, the mare reared. She tossed her radiant head and let out a clear, untarnished neigh. The defiant sound rippled through the yard like beams of light. It buzzed with electric energy, unmistakable magic from the time of the Valkyries and Sara. The wolves around her became as still as Conall.

Suddenly, a flash of pure light brightened the entire castle's surroundings. His eyes slammed shut instinctively. It was like looking straight at the sun. There was no heat, just power that Conall could sense without looking.

When the light faded, the attacking wolves had been replaced with month-old pups. The young wolves looked around, confusion filling their faces. Conall blinked. The power that had come from Bella's counterattack seemed impossible. Still, the pups remained confused and playful, darting away from the rest of the wolves in the pack.

_Maybe there's hope for them...for us, after all, _Conall thought. Was his old dream of helping his pack truly gone? Maybe...maybe there was a way to salvage his past...

He couldn't think of that now.

Conall's thoughts blurred together as he slipped into the darkness of Ivenna's castle. He couldn't force himself to look back, but he felt the sensation of being watched.

...

Conall passed by hallways full of thick doors. He was uncertain of how he would ever find Jillian and the otter among them, but he knew he would have to try. He glanced around. There was no one in sight. All of the guards had joined the battle by now. The building was as quiet as death. He shook his pelt. The paranoid feeling that gripped him had to be just his imagination.

He felt a warmth on his chest start to grow as he passed a heavy, maple door. Conall watched the Starstone begin to glow brighter and bright. It was telling him something. _This must be it_, he realized. With a quick thrust, the door creaked open.

The slim, pink shape was unmistakable. Conall loped up to the cage that held the queen of the Starstone Otters.

Her dark, shining eyes met Conall's golden ones. He felt the Starstone form a link between their minds. _You were true to your word, _she said telepathically. _You returned_.

Conall felt his confidence grow with the otter's kind words. Then he felt a new feeling of fear rise in his throat. He glanced around again. Sure enough, Jillian was nowhere to be found. He gazed back at the otter in panic. No one had told him what to do if Jillian and her were not together!

_You will find your friend_, the creature promised. _I am quite sure she is nearby._

Conall did his best to calm down quickly. He began to work at the otter's prison. With a few quick snaps, the leather straps that held the cage door shut snapped. Ivenna had expected a person to try freeing the Otter Queen, not a wolf. With one last push of his paw, the door opened easily. The otter stepped out. She looked delicate but determined.

Conall bowed toward her. _Take the stone. I no longer need it. Go to the courtyard where your friend Bella is waiting for your help. There are others that need to be saved._

The otter gently lifted it from his neck. Without waiting for confirmation, Conall streaked away. He ran through the corridor, the same determination that the otter had beginning to flow through him. Jillian was in the castle, and she needed his help. This was Conall's true pack. He was loyal to it.

The ominous warning he had felt when he entered was gone. He sped through another hall. Nothing could stop him.

Suddenly, a hulking force knocked him onto his side. His vision swam as he tried to focus. The stones of the rough floor dug into his pelt.

A voice sailed down from above him.

"Someone's been being the _big bad wolf_ today."

...

"S-S-Scarlet!" Conall stammered. Her red fur flashed in the faint light as his vision became normal again. "Y-you have to listen! I wasn't...Myrfor...I was trying to help!"

She pressed her paws harder onto him. Their blunt claws started to dig into his skin."I've had enough of your lies, Conall! I saw you helping the otter." Her voice was angry, sad, and murderous. Conall felt Scarlet's words slam into him like gale from a harsh storm.

"I can explain all of it!" Conall said, kicking around in a futile attempt to get up.

Scarlet held him tight. "Well, Conall, you won't get that chance. You know why?" She remained clam. "Because...I'm...going...to...kill...you."

She was serious.

Conall gulped. He stared into her eyes for a moment. A flicker of doubt passed through his thoughts. "Scarlet...I _am _trying to help us. To help Myrfor. You have to believe me."

"Me, believe you?" Scarlet cackled sarcastically. "I'm the one who gave _you _the chance to believe in _me_. I gave you the chance to believe in our pack, and you threw it away like an offer for prey!"

"Scarlet-"

The red wolf grabbed his scruff, shaking him hard until he was seeing spots again. Conall had never experienced being bested by another wolf...not since his days as a pup. Once he'd reached his growth spurt he'd seemed unstoppable. Scarlet _had _given him the chance at being her friend. She had supported him...because of his strength.

He felt fury growing inside of him. His voice rose from a croak to a snarl. "You never cared!" Conall snapped. "There's more to life than living in this pack, but you don't seem to get it, do you? All my life I've worked for it, and what has it gotten me, Scarlet?"

Scarlet's hackles rose. She didn't make any attempt to attack again, but she seemed over-alert. "I just...I can't believe you Conall. I thought you cared about Styginmoor."

"You were wrong."

"What?" Her eyes flashed with another emotion. Confusion? Curiosity?

Conall stared straight into her eyes again. It wasn't a threatening look, though, it was almost like pleading. "Myrfor isn't right. _This_ isn't right, Scarlet. Freedom doesn't mean doing anything you want to. It means limitless. Jillian...Bella..that's what we need." She looked away for a moment. Conall followed her gaze. _Believe me_, he tried to tell her.

"No." She spun around. "No."

"Scarlet-"

Scarlet stared at him one more time. "This is what _you _want, Conall. Not me. Do it, please, but don't drag me with you."

He waited, but she turned back around and continued to fade into the darkness. Conall watched his old friend slip away with his memories. Happiness. They used to have something. _Now it's gone_, he thought. _I can't continue to chase that dream. I have to go with Jillian. I have to trust her and Bella. _

So he did.

...

Conall stumbled through the castle in a daze. The emptiness inside him that had come from losing Scarlet had been partially filled with his hopes of finding Jillian, but it still remained. He turned toward the battle. While he couldn't see it from inside the castle, it sounded even worse than it did when he had watched it start. Snarls, whinnies, and yelps echoed past him as he crept closer and closer.

Another loud neigh shot through the stone walls. _Bella_, he thought. The name made him feel warm again. She was with the otter, hopefully, and they would be capable of saving the magical creatures.

Conall didn't know where to look. If only he had paid more attention when he worked as a wolf guard! The scents around him were muddled. He started to sort out the old from the new. _Ivenna and Myrfor...from today. Jillian...from a week ago. Lystra, Elderberry, and...Scarlet...a month ago. Ivenna again...two hours ago...This is going to take forever!_

He was so busy sniffing around for his friend, he didn't notice the hum of the fight starting to fade after a while. It shot back up after a few moments - maybe a wolf or horse had made a desperate move - then it started to become softer again. Soon after the noise had started to drop, everything was as quiet as before. No whinnies from horses, barks from wolves, or stomping of hooves.

Conall's head shot up. The only thing he could think of was that the battle had finally ended. Wolves, stiff and wounded, began to draw closer. Conall started to slink away as he smelled them. He didn't look like he had participated in the battle at all! _I'll just say I was running if they catch me...yeah, that will work._

The sound of human footsteps rang out alongside the yelps and growls of the wolves. New fear pulsed through Conall. If he was suspected of treason by Ivenna, he was doomed to die in Styginmoor.

The steps quickened as they came closer. Conall turned. It was too late.

"Conall," Ivenna said. Her voice was dark and sweet in a cruel way. "I have a task for you."


	7. Chapter 6: The Price of a New Life

**This is the last _chapter_ ****of the story. I will get the epilogue up as soon as I have finished it.**

**Special Author's Note: I am naming all of the chapters now since I named the prologue. Enjoy, please!**

**Disclaimer: I don't own Bella Sara or its characters (including Conall, Jillian, Ivenna, Myrfor, Bella, and Bella's friends.) I don't really care whether or not you use the wolves I've created to add more, I don't know, life to Styginmoor's pack.**

_Chapter 6: The Price of a New Life_

Ivenna's fast, loud steps made Conall cringe as they echoed off the stone walls. He didn't even think about running. She didn't seem to suspect him of anything...maybe Scarlet hadn't told anyone about Conall's betrayal yet. The thought made a flicker of hope flash inside his heart. He shook it aside and focused on the task at hand.

The sorceress started to lead him up the steps of one of Styginmoor's tallest towers. Conall's excitement grew as he started to smell Jillian's scent coming closer and closer. _You'll have to get away from Ivenna first. It's not like she's going to let me or Jillian go, _he reminded himself.

Ivenna pulled a coppery key from her thick cloak. She unlocked the dark door that was located near the top of the tower. She pushed it open with ease. Conall surveyed the small room. Jillian. She stood right in the center. The sight made Conall's paws itch to run. He stole one quick glance at her before looking away quickly.

Conall did his best to make his expression blank and unreadable as Ivenna spoke to Jillian. "Well," she smirked, "Where is your _great _Bella now? Ran off to leave you, didn't she? And she took all of your magical friends with her. But don't worry. They'll be back soon enough. In fact, _you're _going to get them back."

Conall's veins felt ice flow through them.

Jillian's eyes flashed defiantly. "I'll never help you!"

Ivenna was unfazed. "You have no choice. Conall here will see to that. You may be able to charm some silly little creatures from the forest, but you hold no power over my wolf pack."

_Her _wolf pack.

Ivenna turned back to Conall. He didn't flinch, but he felt himself wither on the inside. "It's time for you to prove yourself, son of Myrfor," she said. "The magical creatures will not return to the castle now, even if this wretched girl tries to summon them. They are too afraid of it. So _you _are to lead her to the forest and guard her there until she has drawn every last magical creature back to her. I am days away from perfecting a formula that will transfer the creatures' magic to _me_. Once I have this magic, I will rid our world of those horses once and for all. I'm too close to victory to have my plans foiled now!"

She started to rant. Conall felt anger growing inside of him, but he nodded obediently. He couldn't outright challenge her...yet.

Ivenna didn't acknowledge his agreement. She continued her order. "If this _stupid girl_ refuses to cooperate...you'll know what to do. You have until morning to return with all the magical animals. If you are not back to the castle by sunrise, I will release the pack. They are hungry for revenge and riled by the battle. We will take it out on you as well as the girl if you fail me."

She was not done, though. As Conall watched, Ivenna revealed a soft, dark journal the color of a blue midnight sky. She handed it to Jillian, drawing curiosity from Conall. Why was the book important to Ivenna and Jillian? Jillian trembled as she took the book in her hand. Conall thought she looked his way for a second, but he didn't respond.

"Now get out of my sight!" Ivenna exclaimed. She stormed out the door with a disgusted look on her face, not looking back at them.

Jillian gazed into Conall's amber-colored eyes. Her voice shook like her legs as she said, "Come on...Fuzzy Foot."

...

Jillian and Conall plunged deeper into the forest. The air around him as icy and frigid. Small puffs of mist rose from Conalls nose as he exhaled slowly. A thin layer of ice that covered the snow beneath him crunched under his paws as he walked beside Jillian. He had no regrets for what he had done. Still, fear of what Ivenna had threatened them with swelled inside him along with his fury.

Styginmoor and the tiny shapes of wolves started to shrink into the distance as they walked. The silence seemed as hard as stone to Conall. Jillian hadn't spoke to him since they left. Finally, after an eternity of waiting for her, she glanced back at him.

"I'm sorry, Fuzzy Foot," Jillian said softly. "I'm sorry I dragged you into this mess. All the wanted was to help the others. Please understand."

Conall replied with a small growl. He was frustrated but not angry with her. He had his own goals that mingled with hers. If only Scarlet could understand _Conall _like Jillian did.

After a few more moments of silent walking, the two friends reached a small clearing in the woods. Conall stopped. He stared at the barren ground. An idea started to form within him. He stared intently at the leather book Jillian had in her freezing grasp.

"No..." Jillian started to say when she noticed him, "You-You can't want me to lure them all back here...back to Ivenna."

His unwavering stare at the journal remained for a beat of his heart. Then he gazed back into the eyes of Jillian Frouda. _Trust me_, he thought. He had no Starstone around his neck now, no way to make sure the message got through.

Jillian gulped. She cautiously flipped past each drawing. The pictures of all of the creatures were so beautiful. It looked as if the ink itself had brought them to life with as much vibrance and accuracy as nature itself. Magical bubble turtles, ivy dragons, tassel mice, tomtommes, pixies, twinkle imps, bobolinks, flappuppies and dozens of other creatures peered out from the well-worn pages. Conall took in a sharp breath as she reached the last and most recent sketch: the portrait of the Starstone Otter Queen.

Conall barked as a spark of light appeared behind the many trees. It grew, glowing brighter with magical energy and light. Soon it came only yards away from Conall and Jillian. Magical creatures appeared alongside the lantern of brightness. A few whiffle bears and bubble turtles flocked forward, followed by almost all the animals that had escaped Ivenna's castle.

Then Bella came.

Her white mane and tail glowed with wisps of moonlight. Her dark eyes greeted them with a sense of love and urgency. Perched daintily upon the horse's back was the pink shape of the Starstone Otter. The great magical creature seemed even more powerful and strong beside her companion.

Conall pressed himself against Jillian's legs as Bella stepped closer. His own heart stung, but he nudged her closer by shifting his weight against her. It was time for them to part.

"Fuzzy Foot...?" Jillian whispered with confusion.

Conall growled again. It was even gentler than the first.

He gazed at her sad face again. _Go_.

"But what will happen to you?" she asked with uncertainty.

He didn't answer her. Conall didn't _know _what would happen to him when he returned to Syginmoor. All he knew was that once Jillian was far from the castle, he would have his wish for a pack fulfilled. Jillian was all that mattered to him now. He had no one else.

Conall shot her a final glance. Another plea for her to leave. Then, with a heart heavy enough to drag him beneath the forest floor, Conall loped for the dark shape of Styginmoor castle.

...

Wolves had gathered around the courtyard and halls in anxiety. Their faces were solemn and grim, nothing like the cheerful wolves who had once supported Conall as one of their own. He spotted Lystra among their midst. Her pelt was ragged and burned at the tip of her tail. She gave no sign of noticing Conall as he entered Styginmoor's walls. A few wolves filed past him, muttering and yipping with angry excitement. They had been wounded, and they wanted their revenge.

Conall stood before Ivenna. He did nothing to show submission. If this was going to be his last day, he was going to be the alpha of himself.

"Conall!" Ivenna shrieked when she saw him. "Explain yourself, you worthless hound!"

Her insult fell upon the deaf ears of Conall. His eyes were fiery and brave. There was no mistaking him for a son of Myrfor, descendant of the greatest wolf ever to exist. _Burn bright and die with honor. _A growl rose from his throat. It became a snarl as he ended it. He had given up on her tyrannical rule of _her_ pack. He had given up on the ways of Myrfor, the wolf, the father who had tried to protect him by shielding him with darkness. He was a traitor, and he was proud of what he had done.

Conall was alone, but he was free.

He was true wolf today.

Ivenna stood as still as a statue at his challenge. Red slowly started to seep onto her pale cheeks. Her voice was as icy as the crunch of snow when she finally spoke. "I hope you enjoy your final moments, _Conall_."

She drew her iron staff, slipping it across the floor with a screech as she advanced on him. The weapon cast a shadow over Conall like death. He didn't submit. Now, as he prepared to die as an outcast of his pack, he finally felt as if he had lived up to Sundew and Myrfor's words.

The shapes of wolves danced around him. A flash of red surfaced once. Scarlet. It had to be her. When Conall focused on where it had been, it was gone.

"He was always the runt!" Ivenna screamed to Myrfor and the fragment of the pack that swarmed around him. "_Small_ and _weak_! And he _still is_ weak! _Isn't he?_ Isn't he _weak_?"

The pack began to get over their shock. Uncertain barks and howls of agreement rose from the crowd. Conall couldn't help looking at them. Talc and Swan looked outraged. They both seemed ready to tear Conall apart. Lystra was at the edge of joining. Her voice was feeble and weak for the first time in her life as she sang out her agreement. Sundew was furious. The she-wolf blinked, to angry to even move.

Myrfor's glare was like fiery iron burning into Conall's flesh. _How could you do this to us?_ his scornful stare asked. He turned his back to Conall in disbelief and disgust.

Conall braced himself for Ivenna's blow. Death was inevitable, but he would die resisting. He was going to die knowing he had been a proud, good wolf to the end. Magical sparks flew from the tip of the staff, eager to destroy another victim.

Ivenna's wrathful look turned into a sickly sneer. "Since you think so much of those dear little _horsies_, and since you obviously want be be '_free'_, I'll grant your wish!"

Her black cloak rippled behind her as she leveled her staff. It's tip stopped directly in line with Conall's chest. He felt his heartbeat quicken. Conall had no time to think about what she was going to do to him. Light exploded out of the top of the weapon, blasting Conall to the floor in less than a second. He yelped. It was worse than any beating, any punishment he had ever imagined. Spots clouded his vision until he could no longer see. Conall had no idea whether he was dying or just writhing on the floor from the beginning of Ivenna's revenge. The pain quickly reached a point where all he wanted was to black out or die.

Once again, Conall was rewarded with his wish. The world swirled into complete darkness.

...

The sound of a shocked and almost amused pack awoke Conall. He blinked, feebly kicking one of his front legs. The entire lower half of his body was numb. The details of the courtyard began to appear as his senses returned at an alarming rate. He had only two thoughts: that either Ivenna as going to continue her punishment, or she had done something terrible to him already.

But what?

Conall was too scared of what else would happen to wonder. He had to flee. He had to get far from Ivenna and Myrfor. He had to find Jillian...quickly. He started to rise, hoping he would be able to sense his legs. His legs bent awkwardly. After a shakey moment, he fell. He tried to rise again, but he couldn't even grip the ground correctly. On his third attempt, Conall managed to stand. There was no familiar pressure on the pads of his paws...in fact, he felt no pads or paws at all...

Conall stared down at his paws...or where they used to be. Round, hard hooves like a horse's greeted his eyes. Conall stumbled backwards, almost falling on his side again. His eyes grew as round as the sun in disbelief. _What have I...what has _Ivenna_ done to me?_

His head whipped around. He gazed into one of the dark windows of the castle to see a...wolf. Conall's golden eyes continued to glisten. The sound that came out of his mouth was a whimper, not a horse-like sound. When he looked at his legs again, the hooves were still there. _WHAT happened? _he thought, gasping for breath from shock. Then it dawned on him. He wasn't a horse. He wasn't a wolf. Conall had become...something in between.

Conall was even more alone than before. He was some sort of unnatural hybrid now, an impossible beast no one could support...

Ivenna laughed giddily. "You didn't know which side to choose, did you?" she said with vicious delight. "Now you'll forever be caught in the middle! Part of neither the pack _or_ the herd."

Conall couldn't bare to look at the wolves again. There were no more friendly, confused faces among them anymore, only scornful and angry faces. He forced himself to look at Myrfor as his father bared his teeth in a snarl.

"This _freak _is no son of mine." Myrfor's fur bristled.

"Indeed. I'd say it's time for Conall to be leaving," Ivenna said. She flashed a look at Conall that made him recoil. Bashing her metal staff against the floor with a resounding crash, she continued, "Get far from here, you disgraceful mutt. Let's see how you fare in the real world. I'll give you a head start, but I'm releasing Myrfor and the pack once the moon falls below the largest mountaintop. I wouldn't want them to catch up with me, if I were you."

Conall couldn't think. He didn't even wonder how to use his newly changed legs. All he could do was run.

...

The trees whispered of ancient times as Conall limped through the icy forest. His hooves ached like crazy. Every time he tried to walk over a particularly slippery patch of ice, he would wall to the ground in a heap. Conall was soon bruised and sore from the hike. The moon seemed as cold as the snow. Wind stung him through his now white-splashed fur. He closed his eyes but continued walking, remembering Jillian. After all he had lost, surely she was still okay. She had to be.

A huge mountain towered over him. The sound of howls sounded from the distance. The wolves had not left Styginmoor yet, but they were becoming more and more eager to as morning started to arrive. Conall had brought a day of battle and pain upon them. Now they were about to get even with him.

Conall did his best to start running again. His lope was splayed and uneven because of the new, grip-less hooves he had. _It's useless, _he thought, cursing himself. _How can I run with these ridiculous, clawless feet?_

There was no longer any hope for escape.

Then a crazy idea came to Conall. It was foolish and would probably get him killed, but it was enough to convince him there was hope of surviving till morning. _I can't outrun them, _he told himself, _but if I can just reach the mountain before they find me..._

Conall's legs buckled several times on the way. Maybe it was just their faulty combination, or perhaps the fear in his own heart. He had no other choice. Conall sucked back his desire to flee and started to climb.

Conall was starting to fall as he reached a steep cliff. The only way he had seen up the mountain was a slippery, thin path that curved like meanders in a river winding up the side. He could no longer climb higher from where he was. Beside, Conall doubted he would be able to on a straight path due to his exhaustion. Moments after he reached the point, rustling sounds started in the forest. The sound became the constant drum of paws against the ground. The pack had found his scent.

Myrfor was the first to appear. He didn't seem to notice Conall. Conall forgot to breath as the wolf who had disowned him continued to follow his old trail. Sundew ran up to her mate quickly. "Keep going," she urged. Her eyes glinted with the bloodlust that only surfaced during hunts. "He had to have moved to the east."

"No," Myrfor said, sniffing the air again. "Stop!" he called out. "The wind has shifted." He slowly sauntered left of Conall's perch. After a moment of silence, Myrfor spun straight toward where Conall was. Conall's heart throbbed faster and faster. They'd found him.

"This way!" Myrfor howled. A chorus of yelps, barks, and growls followed him as he and Sundew began to lead their colleagues up the rocky climb.

Conall stepped backwards as Myrfor approached. He was forced to do it again. Conall knew he couldn't do this forever. The rocky wall shot straight up behind him, and freezing air stretched for yards between him and the ground as the other option. Still, Myrfor kept coming forward, trapping him.

He looked away from the creature who had disowned him. Myrfor was no longer his father. He was a strong alpha to Styginmoor's pack, of course, but he was a coward. He had chosen to hide behind Ivenna instead of standing up for the future of his pack. Conall knew it was too late to change _them. _All he wanted to do was change inside _himself. __Scarlet...this is my choice._

Courage. Conall felt new strength flood into himself. He would be brave today. It was time for him to face his problems, not run like Myrfor had.

Myrfor snarled. Conall didn't retreat any farther. He shifted his weight, stepping toward the larger wolf. He let the last of his feelings come crashing down on him. Anger, despair, loss, and regret. Conall accepted his mixed emotions. He accepted the fact that he might never find happiness again, never see the fate he would have had with the wolf he used to love. The wave came crashing down. Conall raised his head to the dying star. With one last glance at Myrfor, he closed his eyes and howled.

The sound was like no howl of any other creature. It was big and lamenting like a wolf's; it ended in a wild note like the challenge of a stallion. The defiant music filled the air with a sense of warning.

After a beat of his heart, the ledge underneath him started to shake. Conall looked up. He watched in disbelief as the snowbank started to shake and crumble.

The wolves yelped in panic and scrambled away from the snow as it started to fall. Conall's heart plunged down to his stomach as cracks started to spread to where he stood. Soon, he would be part of the avalanche, one more piece of the debris broken on the snow and stone.

_Close your eyes and leap, Conall._

A melodic voice filled his head. He had a moment of hesitation. Leaping would be suicide, but so was any other choice...

Conall no longer questioned what would happen. He released his worry with a final yelp and reached for the dawn as he leaped.

The snow thundered down with the force of a thousand charging oxen. The howls of fear from the pack ended suddenly as they disappeared in a flurry of white. Conall flung himself through the air, leaving only silence behind him.

...

He was flying. Conall's eyes refused to open. He had expected to feel the stab of pain as he died on the forest floor. Instead, currents of air flowed beneath his hooves, supporting him as he streaked through the wind. After a few more seconds of faithless flight, he forced his eyes open. Looking down, he realized he was running on the air itself. _Bella, _he thought at once, _she's giving me her power of flight to let me escape. _Conall watched as Styginmoor's pack became tiny specks below him. Then they faded into nothingness.

Conall felt the wind itself begin to tug him westward. He knew from a certain part inside that he was headed for Trails End. Jillian would be there, she had to!

A warm feeling spread through Conall. He was headed for more than a new home. It was a new life. A new pack. Conall's pack. Just him, Jillian, and the horses. That was all Conall would need.

A new life.

He remembered letting go of his old one. Conall was certain he would not return, but a certain image had been seared into his mind back on the mountain. Horror-struck, shocked golden eyes with floating green flecks.

Scarlet.

_Goodbye, _he thought. Conall knew in his heart that he meant it. _I've made my choice. Jillian...Bella...I'm going home._

**Whew! This chapter was much longer than expected! I'll get the epilogue up as soon as I can!**


	8. Epilogue: Where Trails End

**Bye, Conall! This is it. The end!**

**Disclaimer: I don't own this. Well, I own all the wolves I made up & just the writing, but I don't own Bella Sara or the places and characters from it.**

_Epilogue: Where Trails End_

Conall opened his blazing eyes. The bright sun stung them only for a moment. His hooves flew across the lush grass and he ran after his friend. Jillian glanced behind her, giggling as he shoved her gently with his black nose. "Alright, Fuzzy Foot, you win!" she exclaimed. Her eyes shined as she raced ahead, starting a new game.

Conall splashed into a cold stream to rest his legs. He was still adjusting to the new feeling - being able to run for miles but not sprint. However, Conall had gradually become more and more used to them. This was his new body, his new chance at life. He caught his breath before jumping back toward Jillian.

"Oh, Fuzzy Foot," she said, laughing, "Who would have imagined us here?"

She _had _been there when Conall arrived from the sky. Conall's heart swelled with contentment as he remembered arriving at Trails End. The beautiful capital of North of North was even more magic now that he could enjoy it with his new friends. Deep sorrow still tugged at his heart at night. Every flame and shadow reminded him of Scarlet, Talc, Swan, and all of the wolves he had once worked with.

But he was home.

No matter how much of a stranger he was, how much he was treated as an outcast, a lone wolf at times, he knew this was the place he wanted to live and die. Conall hadn't done anything but trust his friend Bella the night he flew to the town. She had given him the courage and strength to journey to a new beginning...or maybe just to find those things within himself. Bella had accepted him when no one else but Jillian did. She was almost as close as a relative to him.

He watched the graceful mare trot up to him like a dream. She greeted Conall with a soft nicker, flicking her radiant mane to him and Jillian. Her relaxed posture calmed Conall to to the point where he was almost sleepy. He let his tongue loll out in a wolfish smile. For once, Conall was proud to be part equine.

Bella whinnied to her human, Jillian. Conall watched reluctantly as she mounted the horse with ease. He had gotten use to Bella taking his friend for walks, but he wished more than anything that he could follow them constantly as well. The two soared into the air with Bella's ability to ride the breeze. Conall trotted after them casually, following their path.

Soon he broke into a gallop. His gate was swifter and smoother. Conall had learned from watching the horses how to run with his new hooves.

He kept running. Into the sunset. The future.

Whatever came first, they both were bright.

**That's it! Sorry for how short it is, I didn't think there was much happening from Conall's perspective at the end of the first book. The story itself is very short in general. But don't go home yet!**

**Unfortunately, I haven't been able to get my hands on Pepper's Quest, the next book with Jillian and Conall in it, so there won't be a sequel about them for a while. (I can't buy things online anymore. My parents fault. It's a kind of long story.)**

**I WAS thinking of doing some kind of sequel, though. Maybe something with Scarlet? I put a poll in my profile. I actually planned to include some Romance in this, but I decided to drop that and put it in the next story.**

**Tell me what you think!**


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